Tag Archives: g code conversion

KipwareXC® G Code Conversion Software — Hidden Gems #1

After 30+ years of working and living on the shop floor, Kentech Inc. develops REAL WORLD software solutions. Our experiences have shaped and molded our thinking and development goals to push us to create software solutions that make huge impacts in our clients manufacturing systems and processes.

No where is this more in show than in our INNOVATIVE and GROUNDBREAKING G code conversion applications, KipwareXC® and Kipware® CNC XChange. In this post we look to highlight #1 in a series of HIDDEN GEM videos that feature some of the innovative and groundbreaking features, somewhat hidden away in our G code conversion apps. There are so many features included in KipwareXC® that we want to make sure to highlight some of these maybe unknown features … all standard … all there for the taking … but maybe missed in the everyday use of KipwareXC®.

Let’s start with a couple of questions :

(1) Have you ever wanted to take a proven G code program and adjust … up or down …  all S commands or all F commands by a certain percentage?

(2) Have you ever needed to shift all X and / or Y commands by a certain amount? Or lower all Z commands by a certain amount?

If you answered YES to either of the above … or some other similar situation you can think of … then  the video below is well worth the watch … enjoy !!

For more information and details on all our G code conversion applications … please use any of the links below :

KipwareXC® Information : https://kentechinc.com/kipwarexc/

CNC XChange Information : https://kentechinc.com/cncxchange/

Kentech Inc. MAIN Website : https://kentechinc.com/

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech Inc.

KipwareXC® VS Re-Post VS Reposting

If you are in a real machine shop … with multiple CNC’s with multiple controls … you’ve run up against it. Control Incompatibility. The fact that G code formatted for one machine and control will not function on another machine with another control … and it causes havoc.

G code has to either be re-posted … re-programmed … or manually edited.

Most shops invest heavily in multiple CAD/CAM post processors to insure they can get G code created from their CAD/CAM system that will work in all the machines in the shop. Some try to even write their own CAD/CAM post. But CAD/CAM companies make the post processor language so cryptic and hard to figure out that eventually you buckle in and pay the price for a custom created post.

THE FACT IS … AND YOU KNOW IT … CAD/CAM COMPANIES ARE ONLY INTERESTED IN MAKING CUSTOMERS KEEP PAYING. Whether it’s yearly maintenance fees … post processor and post creation charges … THEY HAVE YOU HOSTAGE.

IT’S CALLED CORPORATE GREED !!

At Kentech Inc. we believe that EDUCATED CONSUMERS ARE OUR BEST CUSTOMERS. So we devised better ways to beat the control incompatibility issues through INNOVATIVE and PIONEERING G code conversion software like our KipwareXC® and Kipware® CNC XChange. Designed with clean user interfaces … with plain English menus … Kipware® conversion software is designed to have that educated consumer become their own boss … to take control on their own … and to succeed.

We have worked with customers all over the world including Okuma and many of their world wide distributors to add innovative and real world features to Kipware® to insure that we cover every kind of G code from CAD/CAM generated code to all-over-the-place manually created G code. And when a client needs “special” treatment for something specific they are doing … we got their back with custom development. And … if we feel it’s something that many people might need … we even code it for free … cause we know it just makes our software better.

Fed up with post processors and their cryptic languages that make it impossible for the average person to configure? Watch the video below … DUMP old school and GO new school with KipwareXC®. 

Now some people post in the forums on the net … “Why would you convert G code … just run it through your CAD/CAM system with another post.” The anonymity of online forums never ceases  to bring out the ignorance in people … so let’s set some facts straight.

Reason #1 for G Code Conversion – Converting Legacy Programs

Programs that were created years ago might not even have a CAD drawing to go back to … but most importantly ( they would know this if these people were real machinists ) … speed and feeds and even toolpaths were probably altered due to real world cutting conditions  or workholding issues or whatever. These are called “proven programs” … and are gold in a real world shop. Reverting back to the CAD/CAM system puts you back to starting-all-over-again. You lose any of the real world changes made … and more importantly time … and profits.

G code conversion makes so much more sense because nothing in the original program is changed … just the program format.

Reason #2 for G Code Conversion –
Eliminating Costly Posts

Kipware® allows users to create an UNLIMITED number of “profiles” … the definition of what-to-convert-into-what. This means that one purchase of Kipware® conversion software gives users the power to convert any G code format between multiple machines and multiple controls. You do not have to make a separate purchase for every machine in the shop. AND … because of our real world design you are in control. Make any changes or tweak the output to your liking at any time … FOR FREE !!

Reason #3 for G Code Conversion –
Unclog the Shop Floor Bottlenecks

If you live in the real world … you’ve been here. A program was created for one machine and control but because your client pushed up the delivery date or one of a hundred other reasons … you need to run that program in another machine with another control. In the CAD/CAM world you need to go back to the “CAD/CAM guy” and have him re-post it or edit it. In the Kipware® world … you simply run the program through the conversion software and BANG … ready to go.

… and we could go on and on.

But if you live in the real world and are a real world machinist … you can see and know the benefits from your own experiences.

So … is it time ???

Is it time to break the chains of the CAD/CAM company? Is it time to free your shop floor and let your productivity flow?

If so … we invite you to visit www.KentechInc.com and check out KipwareXC® and Kipware® CNC XChange. Arrange for a live, free online demonstration with one of our engineers and let us show you the real world design … and results … that you can achieve as you blow out control incompatibility in your shop.

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech Inc.

CNC XChange Featured in the Okuma App Store [Okuma / Fanuc G Code Conversion Goes Mainstream]

Okuma Corp. is a leader in CNC controls and CNC machinery and laid the foundation for a whole new world of productivity and possibilities with the release of their OSP-P open architecture control in 2004. Among other features, this open architecture allowed for the inclusion of Windows based applications to run directly inside the CNC control. This has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for manufacturers now having the ability to run “apps” as well as full Windows software directly in the CNC control.

Kentech Inc. is proud to be recognized by Okuma and to have our Kipware® CNC XChange G code conversion software featured in the Okuma App Store. We are proud that Okuma has recognized the features and power of CNC XChange and the importance and power of G code conversion in the constant battle to eliminate CNC control incompatibility in today’s manufacturing.

You can learn more about Kipware® CNC XChange and the Okuma App Store by clicking on the links below.

Kipware® CNC XChange : http://www.kentechinc.com/cncxchange.html

Okuma App Store :
https://www.myokuma.com/

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech Inc.

Convert Fanuc to Dynapath with KipwareXC®

Our KipwareXC® – G Code Conversion application has become an industry LEADER since it’s introduction in the ’80’s. We are now engaged in a new upgrade for KipwareXC® which involves our creation of specific CUSTOM PROFILES for specific G code conversions … and we are pleased to announce the initial release.

First … let me explain a little about the philosophy and design of KipwareXC® in case you are unfamiliar. KipwareXC® is what we refer to as a “soft coded” application … whereas our CNC XChange® conversion application is a “hard coded” application. In a hard coded app … all of the G code format conversion is built into the software with only a minor set of options defined by the user to handle non-industry-standard programming code … M codes for example. Hard coded apps are designed for specific G code format conversions … like say Fanuc to Okuma … and it’s all built into the source code. In a soft coded application like KipwareXC® … the user defines all of the what-to-convert-into-what using what we call a PROFILE. This gives the software unbelievable flexibility and power … but requires the user to set up the configuration in the PROFILE. Another powerful feature is that the user can create as many different PROFILES as required to handle many different format conversions … the number of conversion types is therefore unlimited.

Our new UPGRADE strategy is to create and define specific code conversion CUSTOM PROFILES and make them available to the public … but still maintain the ability to tweak the PROFILES as well as the ability to define new Profiles and enhance existing Profiles. It’s the best of both worlds.

1st CUSTOM PROFILE release :
Fanuc to Dynapath – Milling

Our first CUSTOM PROFILE … created per a user request … was for milling G code to convert between FANUC format to DYNAPATH event type format. Below is a video clip outlining the new PROFILE.

We are excited to introduce CUSTOM PROFILES and will be adding new PROFILES as we move forward and receive feedback and requests for from our users. If you have a need for CUSTOM PROFILE to enhance your shop floor machine compatibility … please contact Sales@KentechInc.com or call 508-754-1198 Ext 1.

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech Inc.

New Fanuc <--> Okuma Conversion Software Features Released

Our Kipware® CNC XChange and KipwareXC® software continue to be the industry leading tools for removing the “control incompatibility” issues from today’s shop floor.  Today’s typical shop floors contains many different CNC machines with different CNC controls … and the inability to quickly move G code programs from one machine to another means loss productivity and efficiency.

Since 1986 when we first started creating G code conversion software for Raytheon Corporation … Kentech Inc. has become the pioneer and leader in G code conversion software … enhancing efficiency and productivity in thousands of manufacturers by allowing all their CNC machines to operate seamlessly.

Today we are announcing the release of NEW features to our Kipware® CNC XChange … Fanuc <–> Okuma Milling Conversion application … that enables a “look ahead” feature for inserting the “next tool” call into converted programs. When converting Fanuc milling G code to Okuma OSP … this new feature will scan ahead in the Fanuc program to find the next tool being employed … and will auto-insert that call into the tool change line of the current tool. This insures greater efficiency by getting he next tool indexed and ready for tool change … saving valuable cutting cycletime in the newly converted G code program.

Here’s how it WORKS …

As with all features in Kipware® CNC XChange  … and after living on the shop floor for 30+ years … we know that no two G code programs or formats are alike. That’s why we build customizable features into our conversion software … to allow the user to select and customize the conversion and output.

Initially … the user can use the powerful USER OPTIONS in Kipware® CNC XChange to set-up this “look ahead” feature as the screenshot below illustrates.

Users have the ability to customize the output by :

  1. ENABLING or DISABLING the Look Ahead function … and if enabled to specify the LETTER ADDRESS to be used by Kipware® CNC XChange when adding the next tool call to the G code. In the above case … a Q# would be output with the # being the next tool number.
  2. Users can also specify a TOOL CHANGE RETURN LINE to be automatically inserted as a line prior to the tool change command line, This features gives the user the ability to customize the tool change return line per their own requirements.

Here’s the RESULT …

With a simple push of the CONVERT button … Kipware® CNC XChange goes to work … all automatically … in seconds … to execute this and many other conversions to produce the sample as illustrated below.

First the TOOL CHANGE RETURN LINE was added as defined … and then the LOOK AHEAD Q# was auto-inserted onto the converted tool change line.

You can also watch the presentation video below …


Industry leading Kipware® CNC XChange and KipwareXC® can help any size shop remove the “control incompatibility” issue from their floor … and bring with it increased efficiency and productivity.

For more information on Kipware® CNC XChange or KipwareXC® … please visit our website … www.KentechInc.com.

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech Inc.

Manually Editing G Code Created by Your CAM is SOOOO Yesterday

When we talk to programmers who are using a CAD/CAM system … and we love to do that BTW … the major complaint we hear is regarding their post processor. There are basically TWO TOP compaints …

  1. The G code generated always needs to be “tweaked”
  2. They have to purchase posts for various machines / controls

The next question is inevitably … Does Kipware® have a solution?

The Answer is DEFINITELY!! … and for both scenarios !!

KipwareXC® for G Code Tweaking

With tools like KipwareXC® and Kipware® CNC XChange … manually tweaking G code is SOOO yesterday. Like any good process … the more you can automate it and remove the “human factor” from the process … the more rock solid that process can become. Whether you are performing simple edits on the shop floor or complex changes including variables and line coordinate changes … KipwareXC® can automate the process … and once set-up, will allow anyone to perform the changes … even non-programmers.

KipwareXC® is a completely user defined application where the user can use a mixture of pre-defined conversion options and our cutting edge macro variable language to basically tell the software what-to-convert-into-what. This combination allows the user to automate virtually any G code conversion required. From simple stuff … like M51 to M75 … to complex line conversions involving multiple addresses on the line such as converting G71P—-Q—-U—-W—-D—–F—- to G85N—U—W—D—F—.

Pre-defined conversions are conversions that are defined inside the source code of the software … just pick it and it all gets done automatically. Some pre-defined conversions are :

  • ADD or REMOVE or REFORMAT decimal points
  • Convert from INCH to METRIC or METRIC TO INCH with a single mouse click
  • Tons of circular options like convert INCREMENTAL I/J/K to ABSOLUTE I/J/K … and reverse … or convert R to I/J/K.
  • Convert X from DIAMETER to RADIUS … and reverse … for turning G code.
  • Invert X coordinates … reverse G2/G3 and all related I/J/K information.
  • Convert Fanuc SINGLE line canned cycles to DOUBLE LINE commands … and reverse.
  • … and SOOO much more.

KipwareXC® allows the user to create an UNLIMITED number of Profiles ( the what-to-convert-into-what statements ) … that means you only need to purchase the software once … and ALL the machines in your shop are covered.

In addition … the cutting edge, real world design of KipwareXC® allows users to piggy-back Profiles … which adds a whole ‘nother layer of flexibility.

For more info on KipwareXC® …. CLICK HERE.

Conversion

Kipware® CNC XChange for MASSIVE G Code Conversion Between Different Machines

Whereas KipwareXC® is completely user-defined … CNC XChange is almost completely defined inside the source code. This means basically that we have done all the work … the user does have options for non-standard code conversion like M functions … but for the most part all the code conversions have been defined inside the source code.

We build CNC XChange for specific G code conversions … our most popular is our Fanuc <–> Okuma version will auto-convert G code created for Fanuc controls into G code formatted for Okuma controls … and reverse. We do also have other versions available … for a complete list please CLICK HERE.

So if you have multiple machines on your shop floor … and suffer from the “control incompatibility” issue … re-programming for every machine / control … Kipware® CNC XChange has you covered. Just ask PETE …

So where a software sales guy might praise the features of their G code editor … we say, “editing G Code manually is sooo yesterday.” If you are making the same edits over-and-over again … or you have multiple machines and controls on your floor and suffer from “control incompatibility” … we invite you to explore KipwareXC® and Kipware® CNC XChange … and kick your shop floor efficiency into the next level.

Kenney Skonieczny – President

Kentech Inc.